How Does It Feel?
by Smart Aleckette
Summary: How does it feel to know you will never become a warrior? How does it feel to know you will never see? How does it feel to be driven from your home? How does it feel to be in a love triangle, and be the loser? Collection of one-shots. ::COMPLETE::
1. It was no Accident

**Hey people! I always wanted to do this kind of story ... so here it is. Obviously, most of these one-shots are from the POV of the cat who experienced them, not Firestar and Co. However, there are the occasional places where their POV was not presented, so I have decided to be evil and do it myself ...**

**Disclaimer: Um ... if you think I'm really Erin Hunter, or that I own Warriors, get your head examined or something. (not really.)

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**Chapter 1**

**It was no Accident**

I skidded onto the Thunderpath. Where was Tigerclaw? There was that ash tree ... but no sign of the ThunderClan deputy. I sniffed along the strip of grass beside the Thunderpath's hard stone, ears pricked, listening for any hint of Tigerclaw being nearby. Summoning all the tracking skills Fireheart had taught me, I could tell Tigerclaw was close, but his scent was oddly stale ...

Cautiously sniffing the ground, I padded along the side of the Thunderpath. I had an important message to deliver – well, Fireheart was supposed to be delivering it, but I wanted to prove myself to him. I don't know why; when I saw my mentor, my heart seemed to give a little skip. I don't think anybody suspected anything, as I was kind of acting normal, but it was still odd to see cats look at you, not see the feelings you hid from them, to keep a part of yourself hidden from everybody ... including yourself.

Where was Tigerclaw? He _should_ be nearby ... his scent mark was at the very edge of the Thunderpath, and it was the strongest clue of his presence that I could find. I took two steps and put my nose to the ground again. The scent of rain, heavy on the air, would soon wash away the scent mark when it started to pour. I had to act quickly.

_What a mouse-brained deputy, _I thought, my mind completely focussed on a task for once, _sending a message that he would be waiting in a place where his scent isn't even present ..._

I don't know when I realized that monster coming toward me. I was so absorbed in tracking Tigerclaw, or trying to track him, that I never saw it until it was too late. I remember a flash of harsh, unnatural yellow light, a screech as the monster slid toward me, a spurt of scarlet shooting into the darkness. Pain shoot through one of my hind legs, and I felt the bones snap. I could hear nothing, see nothing, for there was nothing but darkness. But why, if I was dying, was there that excruciating pain?

_Please StarClan, just end it,_ I prayed, darkness settling in, the pain building. _I can't bear it; I beg you, just kill me now._

Fireheart's voice was choked with pain and fright. "C-Cinderpaw?" he whispered. That was the last thing I heard, before there was nothing.

000

"I'm never going to become a warrior, am I?"

Fireheart looked at me. I knew the truth, sitting there with my crooked leg, the one that was hit by the monster. My mentor couldn't keep it hidden from me, he couldn't just lie. Fireheart sighed heavily.

"I'm sorry, Cinderpaw. You can never become a warrior now."

There it was; told so plainly, with true regret in his voice. None of the fake reassurances Yellowfang gave me, or the empty words of comfort Frostfur spoke. Fireheart knew that I knew, and that I knew that he knew that I knew ... despite the situation, I found myself thinking; _Whoa, that was complicated._

"I thought so," I murmured. But I thought there was more, more than what Fireheart was telling me. I didn't ask; why would I? If Fireheart didn't want to tell me, that must mean it wasn't meant for me to hear ... but even so, I felt my heart full of pain when he turned his eyes from mine.

I knew he blamed himself for my accident, because now I could never be a warrior. I blamed myself, because not only would I never be a warrior, but I had destroyed my one chance to have a mate ...

The day I left for my medicine cat apprentice ceremony, Fireheart and Cloudpaw accompanied Yellowfang and me as far as Fourtrees. Yellowfang was speaking with Runningnose, and I was about to join her, but I couldn't just leave Fireheart after taking some time off and escorting us to Fourtrees.

"Goodbye, Cinderpaw," Fireheart meowed sadly. I pressed my muzzle to his cheek.

"I'm not going anywhere!" I replied. "Don't worry Fireheart; I'll never forget you were my first mentor."

I turned away and padded over to the other two medicine cats. This was it; sealing my fate as a medicine cat, never being able to fall in love, have a mate, or have kits. I had no alternative, except to join the elders. Wasn't this better?

_It isn't what I want, _I realized as I followed Yellowfang and Runningnose toward WindClan territory. _What I want, is Fireheart._

000

"But being deputy wasn't enough for him. I ... I think that he even laid a trap for Bluestar beside the Thunderpath, but Cinderpaw was caught in it instead."

My eyes widened, and I let out a gasp as Fireheart paused uncertainly at the top of Highrock. Tigerclaw had set a trap for ... for Bluestar? The deputy sat beneath Highrock, bleeding profusely from scratches that Fireheart had left upon him. I admired the warrior's skill, but I wish he had just _told_ me about this trap. Why ... why had Fireheart hidden it from me? Didn't he care? I wasn't paying attention to the trial, my thoughts wrapped around the ginger tom's secrecy.

_He doesn't care about me, _I thought savagely. _Or at least, not in the way I care about him. He likes Sandstorm more ... and I can't say I blame him._

If I hadn't crippled my leg ... would I have had a chance? If it hadn't been for Tigerclaw ... if Bluestar had just _listened_ to Fireheart the first time he came to her ... I wouldn't be stuck in the medicine cat den. I could have had a chance with him. I might be deluding myself, but it was a happy delusion. And I was never going to forgive Tigerclaw of this, of robbing me of the chance to be with the one I loved. It was partly my fault, but mostly, it was Tigerclaw's. My leg was no accident. I was just another victim of Tigerclaw's.

I hoped Bluestar would execute him.

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**That was probably really bad. I'm just getting off writer's block, and I've only had about ten hours of sleep for the past four days. Please review and tell me what you think.**


	2. Nothing but Darkness

**Grace of Masbolle - I really like Cinderpelt, and there'll be more one-shots concerning her, but I have a couple more I want to write first.**

**Blazonedheart - Ashfur's Love - I loved that pairing, even before it was confirmed. Cinderpelt is my FAV character, and I guess "Cinderpaw" is too, now ... Oh, that gives me an idea for a one-shot!**

**Stardawn - There's kind of a sequel to that one that explains why she became a medicine cat, besides that it was all she could do. I think they're called two-shots or something ... :D Cinderpelt was just furious when she discovered the reason she was crippled. It really wasn't fair ... -breaks down crying-

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**Chapter 2**

**Nothing but Darkness**

"Firestar," I meowed, raising my head to gaze at where I _thought_ my leader stood. "What will happen to me if I go blind? If I can't be a warrior?"

"Don't worry about that," Firestar meowed reaauringly. "Whatever happens, there'll always be a place for you in ThunderClan."

Sighing, I lowered my head. Marigold juice trickled into my eyes, the eyes I might not be able to use anymore. I remembered when Firestar was a kittypet ... how I had scorned him constantly, alongside with Darkstripe ... and Tigerstar. Firestar had left a nick in my ear during our first fight. Despite that, I had always tormented him, until I discovered my "friends" where actually traitors and, in Tigerstar's case, serial killers. I didn't deserve his kindness, and yet he was giving it to me anyway.

_If Tigerstar or Darkstripe had been Firestar, _I thought venomously, _any cat who had scorned them wouldn't live to finish the insult._

I still couldn't believe I had been blinded by a rabbit, of all things. During the time I spent as a warrior - the brief time, I thought wistfully - I had fought to keep Sunningrocks, protected a prisoner that no one really wanted, battled rogues in a plan for Tigerstar to take over ThunderClan, survived a dog attack, and fought beside my Clanmates, with Firestar's trust resting on my shoulders at last, against BloodClan. Through that all, I hadn't died or been crippled ... but now, on a normal, everyday hunting patrol, I was blinded by a rabbit I had been sure I'd caught.

_It isn't fair, StarClan,_ I wailed inside my mind, _I deserved my sight. I deserve everything a normal cat has. Why do you think it fair that some cats have all the regular senses but others not? Is it fair that we cats be robbed of the chance to see and hear and speak? Well, StarClan? Is it? Why did you let that rabbit claw my eyes?_

As I lay there, not listening to Cinderpelt and Firestar or the noises of the night, memories came seeping back. Some were bittersweet, and others upsetting, but most were happy. The only thing they all had in common were shapes and the rich colours that I would never see again.

Sight was something you depended on as a warrior, to see your foe, to see the prey you were stalking, to talk with your friends and find your way around the camp and territory. You _needed_ sight, and it wasn't fair when I had had it for my whole life, then having it yanked away by a piece of prey. I couldn't be a warrior when I was blind ... despite my age, I would become an elder. Just because I hadn't killed a rabbit quickly enough.

For some reason, my thoughts shifted to a certain white tom kit, with blue eyes and garbled speech. Speckletail's kit, hadn't it been? What was the name? Icekit ... Sleetkit ... Hailkit? Oh yeah, it had been Snowkit, hadn't it? And hadn't he been carried off by a hawk? It was so long ago, when Brambleclaw was still a kit. In fact, if memory served, hadn't Snowkit been deaf?

I shifted a little more in the nest, trying to get more comfortable. Snowkit ... yes, he had been deaf. And because of his disability, he hadn't heard the hawk at all, and had paid for his life. I knew StarClan loved kits, and hated when they joined them ... so why hadn't they given him hearing to counter the incident? Snowkit would have become an apprentice, and then a warrior, just like his fellow nurserymates. He could have lived ...

Suddenly, it hit me. I was lucky. Blindness didn't affect my hearing or any of my other senses. At least, when you were blind, it only affected one sense. When you were deaf, it affected both your sight and touch, not to mention your hearing. When you were deaf ... you saw things, but you didn't know what you they were called. Did that also affect your thoughts? Did that mean you had to come up with your own language, when you saw things? Or _did_ you know what they were called, even if you couldn't hear? The same went for touch; you didn't know what you were touching, unless ... maybe StarClan gave deaf cats gifts of better comprehension? Did that mean, if I became blind, that I would hear and smell things better? Was that StarClan's way of saying sorry?

Maybe, I wouldn't be able to see anything. Maybe, I would spend the rest of my life in darkness, and be more of a hindrance than a help to the Clan. Maybe, I should be angry at myself for letting a rabbit get the best of me, or StarClan, for letting me make such a mouse-brained mistake. But really, when I went to join StarClan, I would be able to see again. And that was the only time that truly mattered.

I decided to think of some of the good things about being blind. The reasons I had previously thought of were just a promise, a promise of being able to see again ... even though the current question was, "What if I go blind?" I knew I definitely would. Not even a miracle-worker like Cinderpelt could save my sight now. Strangely, I was fine with that. But ... what exactly were the good points of being blind?

Well, at least the way it had gone, it gave me a chance to look back at it in StarClan and laugh ... I mean, by a _rabbit!_?

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**The Erins were being really desperate when they made a _rabbit_ blind Longtail. Seriously, a rabbit?! I don't think I really captured Longtail's personality, but in first person, you really should concentrate more on the thoughts they hide, not the personality they show ... anyway, review!**


	3. Vigil

**Silent as a Bomb - Agreed. Birchfall should have at least lost an eye, if not his sight.**

**Virginia Forever - ... Wow, that's interesting. :P Then again, this is _Tigerstar_, so I wouldn't put it past him to do that.**

**sparklingpool - Snowkit, in a couple of chapters. Jaypaw, not sure, as I have already done one blind cat.**

**StarClan's Nightmare - I thought his blindness was of either natural causes or genetics. Battles never crossed my mind, to be honest. I don't have a big imagination. :)**

**Summary: A (very!) short one-shot about the night Birchkit and Applekit spent together at the end of the Great Journey, from Applekit's point of view. More than just hinted ApplexBirch.****

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**Chapter 3**

**Vigil**

"Applekit?"

The ivory-colored she-kit gave a start, turning to see who had called her name. It wasn't hard to see, even though it was night - the stars were visible, and the moon bathed the marsh in light - and she recognized his light brown pelt immediately.

"Oh, hello Birchkit," she meowed quietly. The ThunderClan tom padded to her side and sat down, gazing at the star-flecked water. They were silent for a moment, content to just sit and listen to the sounds of the night and their own tiny heartbeats.

"This lake sure is beautiful," murmured Birchkit. His tiny tail beat the ground rhythmically, and Applekit felt her own start to twitch.

"Yes, it is," Applekit replied, looking at the moon rippling on the lake's surface. Unable to bear the stiff silence, she asked without looking at him, "So ... where's Marshkit and Toadkit?"

Birchkit rolled his eyes. "Asleep with Tallpoppy. I couldn't sleep, so I decided to come over here with you instead."

Nodding, Applekit licked a paw and rubbed it over her ear. "I wasn't tired, either. We're _finally_ here, where StarClan sent us! How could anybody be sleepy?"

"I know!" Birchkit swished his tail across the ground as he spoke, accidentally hitting Applekit, who self-consciously moved a little away from him. "We've gone all that way, over fields and across mountains. We've seen and learned so many things, met so many cats, and made so many friends ..."

Applekit watched Birchkit closely. He looked so happy as he said those last few words, and she felt a small tug at her heart. He was probably referring to her brothers and herself, and a voice spoke at the back of her mind; _Just friends? Is that all we are?_

Suddenly, Birchkit's face lit up. "It's kind of like the adventures apprentices go through before they become warriors, isn't it? They go places they've never gone before. They see more things than they did when they were in the nursery. And they even have to go on journeys, to the Moonstone, don't they?"

"I-I s-suppose so," Applekit stammered. What was Birchkit getting at?

"Well, why don't we hold our own vigil, like newly-made warriors?" Birchkit's eyes were full of happiness at his brilliant idea. "We can't talk, and we have to stay awake until dawn. What do you think?"

Applekit looked over her shoulder at her mother and two brothers, sleeping peacefully. Ferncloud was about a tail-length away, her green eyes closed, her sides rising and falling deeply. Then, her gaze flitted to the few cats on guard duty, who were on the lookout for foxes or other predators. Finally, she turned to Birchkit, his eyes full of hope that she would say yes.

"Um ..." Applekit move closer to Birchkit, pressing her flank against his. "Of course I will. But before we stop talking, I, uh, want to ask you something."

Birchkit looked at her in confusion. "Yeah?"

Applekit was full of confusion; part of her wanted to tell Birchkit something she couldn't find words for, and another wanted her to keep quiet, to enjoy what would be their last evening together. She was a bit older than he was, and remembered what it was like, to have boundaries between Clans. Unless they were willing to break the warrior code, they might never see each other again. This could very well be Applekit's last chance to say anything to him.

"N-Never mind," she murmured, looking into his eyes. "I ... I forget."

Birchkit's eyes had a questioning look in them, but he didn't speak a word; instead, his tail felt its way toward Applekit's and silently, he twined them together. They stayed that way for a long, long time; sitting close together, their tails entwined, gazing at the water lapping the shore of their new home.

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**I'm sorry it took me forever to update. But I did now, and with a short update! I can tell you guys aren't happy ...**


	4. This is Love

**Review-answering time!**

**The Only Pancake - I like it as a kit-apprentice pairing. If it's beyond then ... Ugh.**

**Stardawn - See above.**

**Sunstar - I didn't especially love the middle one either, but all one-shots are currently being edited, so the newer version might be better.**

**Flamie - Hey, thanks for reviewing! Anyway, updates will be kind of slow, what with school and whatnot, but I'm glad you liked the ApplexBirch one-shot. (It's my personal favorite.)**

**Iceheart13 - That's the part of romance I specialize in; uncertainy, developing feelings, etc.**

**Summary: Everybody hates Ashfur. But all he did was fall for Squirrelflight, and get backstabbed by the she-cat he loved. Ashfur's short thoughts on her betrayal, his anger, and his still-existing love. Takes place during Sunset, on the day Brambleclaw becomes deputy.

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**Chapter 4**

**This is Love**

_Squirrelflight ..._

Ashfur picked his way across the soggy ground, ears pricked and eyes watchful; if any cat had been watching him, they would have thought he was paying attention to every noise and detail. However, the only thing on his mind – the only thing that _would_ go through his mind, no matter how much he tried to resist – was a name ... a name he both hated and loved at the same time.

_Squirrelflight ..._

Why had she done that? She had told him she loved Brambleclaw more, and that it was over – there had been nothing between them. Ashfur's tail flicked angrily, and his eyes narrowed in fury. How could she? After all, Ashfur had been there for Squirrelflight when Brambleclaw was ignoring her, had comforted her during all the times Brambleclaw had picked on her, had promised her the world ...

Squirrelflight had led him to believe that she loved Ashfur as much as he did her. But it had been a lie, one hurtful lie. _How_ could she love Brambleclaw more? Ashfur felt his claws sliding out of his sheathes, wishing that they would sink into his brown tabby fur.

_What did I ever see in her?_ thought Ashfur, quickening his pace in fury, not realizing that he was heading toward a fringe of bushes. He realized now what he thought had been a sweet, caring, beautiful she-cat that had been the object of many fantasies during the Great Journey was now a cold, mindless instrument that Brambleclaw had used to become deputy. He didn't care what Leafpool said; it was because of Squirrelflight that Brambleclaw was now second-in-command. There was no other explanation; besides questionable loyalty and enough brains to catch a paralysed mouse, Brambleclaw had nothing.

But the biggest hurt of all was that Squirrelflight didn't listen to him about Brambleclaw.

"He killed my mother!" It seemed a weak protest, but Ashfur could never forgive Tigerstar for murdering his mother. He knew Brambleclaw and Tigerstar weren't the same cat, but Brambleclaw had been acting strangely ever since the rebellion against Onestar. How could she not understand? Legacies like that could never die away ... Never. And once, she had understood, had agreed with him; Tigerstar's legacy lived on in Brambleclaw, and no one could forget it.

–_Flashback–_

"I don't trust Brambleclaw," Squirrelflight admitted, kneading the ground with her front paws anxiously, looking up at Ashfur. "H-He seems too friendly with Hawkfrost for my liking."

Ashfur nodded. "Did you ask Leafpool about him?"

Squirrelflight nodded, her green eyes flashing. "Yeah. Leafpool agrees with me; we can't trust him at all."

"Well," began Ashfur quietly, looking away from the young warrior and in the direction of Brambleclaw, who was watching them suspiciously from the fresh-kill pile, "I feel a bit biassed, as his father killed my mother ..."

Of course, she had heard about his mother's death before; her tail reached out comfortingly and rested on his shoulder. "It's just another reason he's not loyal." She caught sight of Brambleclaw and her eyes hardened. "And another reason to hate his pelt."

Ashfur felt his heart skip a beat, and he was so surprised by this news he blurted out, "I-I thought you still had feelings for Brambleclaw?" He felt the tip of his ears burn with his question – _why_ had he asked that?

"Huh?" Squirrelflight turned to look at him, her eyes full of shock. "Where did you get that idea? I _used_ to, but I don't anymore. I can promise you," she added sincerely, "that whatever Brambleclaw and I had, is over. For good."

–_Present–_

She had lied to him. He had been foolish in believing her, and now, it was too late; Squirrelflight had left him for a tom she had sworn she had no feelings for. Brambleclaw now had the position of deputy, and the prettiest she-cat in ThunderClan. And Ashfur?

He had nothing since Squirrelflight had left him. Nada. His whole life was failure, and that was all it was going to be. After all, he had lost to _Brambleclaw_, a stupid, clueless, zero-skilled idiot who had gotten the position of deputy through Firestar's daughter.

Ashfur hated every hair on Squirrelflight's pelt, loathed every silvery whisker, despised her very being, and yet ... he still loved her. How could this be? Ashfur tallied up all the reasonable facts in his mind.

Squirrelflight did not love him, and preferred Brambleclaw. That was apparent.

He had been betrayed by her, even though he had stood by her for everything. For this reason, he should hate her.

Love should not stand so strong after those two points. Ashfur knew this. But, no matter how much he tried to deceive himself, he loved Squirrelflight, and always would.

_Had Brambleclaw felt this way when he and Squirrelflight were arguing?_ he wondered, looking out across the lake, allowing his fur to be buffeted by a sudden wind. _Did he hate me because I loved Squirrelflight? Or did he fool himself into thinking he loved _her_, because he badly wanted to become deputy? Or did they really, really love each other? Was I so obsessed with my hatred of Brambleclaw, our rivalry for Squirrelflight, that I didn't consider what would be best for her was being with him?_

Disconcerted by this new thought, Ashfur started back to camp. If he truly loved Squirrelflight, he wouldn't interfere in her relationship with Brambleclaw – if it was best for her, he could tolerate it. Even if Squirrelflight began to hate him, even if Brambleclaw turned the whole Clan against him, even if he was tortured for the rest of his life as he watched the inevitable birth of Brambleclaw's and Squirrelflight's kits, Ashfur was fine with everything.

After all, if he truly cared for Squirrelflight, he'd want the best for her, right?

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**That was written so that people wouldn't be so hard on Ashfur. If you changed your mind about him after reading this one-shot, (which I doubt, as most active Ashfur haters stand by their opinions,) please review.**

**I have now figured out how many one-shots there will be. There will be one from every book, including Firestar's Quest (which was Longtail's) but excluding Secrets of the Clans and the Manga books. If I actually get 11 one-shots up before the release of Outcast, then the story will be filed complete until I can figure out a good one-shot, or if I can. I might just keep it at 15 chapters.**

**All the one-shots are currently being edited. I'll announce when the edited versions will be up; anyway, I hope you enjoyed this one-shot.**


	5. Rivals

**pinkfuzzykittenz - I liked that one-shot too. :)**

**Darren's Wings - I know exactly when the sequel one-shot will come up. But I'm not telling. xD Applekit is Tallpoppy's kit. Apparently, she and her brothers will come up later in the series. Otherwise, I'm not exactly sure what happened to them.**

**rainstorm007 - You again! :) Do you remember me? I wrote that Gray Skies fic with Stealthpaw ... but it's gone now. Anyway, I felt that one-shot wasn't up to my normal standards, making me say it might suck. It just means I think that I could improve that one-shot, a lot.**

**Raven's Rain - I know I answered this at T/D, but the reason Lontail lost his sight is revealed in Firestar's Quest. Also, SquirrelxAsh is probably the best pairing since ... well, in a while.**

**TheLadyAnthea - The end of your first review made me laugh. I'm afraid I've already lost it. :) The ending of the ApplexBirch one-shot was indeed cliche, but I couldn't get the proper ending right. It's something I want to remedy when I edit all the one-shots.**

**Summary: We all know that Bluestar became deputy after she gave her kits to Oakheart, but she had a rival she **_**wanted**_** to beat for that title. In this one-shot, we take a look through his point of view as his one chance at being deputy is taken away ... **

**Chapter 5**

**Rivals**

I watched the entrance of the leader's den expectantly, as I had done for what seemed eternity. Most cats – the sensible ones, at least – were in their dens, trying to keep warm as the cold winds of leaf-bare cut through their pelts. My paws were numb, half-buried in the snow, and my whiskers felt as if they were covered in frost, but still I waited. The white full moon above was almost at its highest point, meaning that the announcement was to come soon.

The sound of paw steps from behind me reached my ears – turning to look, I saw a blue-gray she-cat, her tail dragging through the snow and her head down, as if it could help her keep warmer against the wind.

"Evening, Bluefur," I meowed to her quietly. The she-cat looked up distractedly, saw me, and gave a meaningless smile.

"Good evening to you too." She examined me with a questioning look in her eyes, which were narrowed against the cold. "You look half-frozen to death. Why aren't you in the warriors' den?"

"Why aren't _you_ in the warriors' den?" I replied, raising one of my numb paws and shaking the snow from between my claws.

Bluefur lowered her gaze. "Well, I–"

"All Clan cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the High Rock for a Clan meeting!" called a wheezy, rasping voice. I gave a start and looked back in the direction of the High Rock – the cat I had been waiting for to emerge from the leader's den had come out when Bluefur and I had been talking.

He was a skinny, frail tom, but I suppose the whole Clan was frail because of the lack of fresh-kill. His pelt was golden, battle-scarred, and ragged, as if he hadn't groomed himself for several days. It was obvious he was ill from his dull eyes and the way he spoke – it couldn't be long before he was on his way to StarClan.

This was our leader, Sunstar.

Cats began to emerge from their dens, shivering in the cold wind. Our warriors were merely a bag of skin and bones, and the queens were no better off. Kits were dying left, right, and center, along with three who had been swiped right out of the nursery from a fox. The elders felt the cold in their bones, and Featherwhisker was running his paws off trying to help everyone despite his lack of supplies.

This Clan needed help, fast.

Bluefur nudged me and nodded in the direction of the High Rock. I quickly turned my attention back to our leader.

"As we all know," Sunstar called once the Clan was assembled, "Tawnyspots, our deputy, has decided to retire." Tawnyspots, who was sitting with the elders who dared make the trip outside, dipped his head as all eyes turned to look at him. "Therefore, I say these words before StarClan so that they may hear and approve my choice."

Sunstar paused for just a heartbeat. But in that heartbeat, I felt my muscles tense and I took a sharp intake of breath. Bluefur, who sat beside me, leaned forward in anticipation, her eyes flashing with hope. And then ...

"Bluefur will be the new deputy of ThunderClan."

What?

Bluefur gave me a sidelong glance, obviously enjoying my surprise as the Clan started calling out her name. I sat there, breathless, shocked, and humiliated that I had lost to _Bluefur_, my rival ever since we were apprentices. Our goals were so similar, it was impossible to not have a rivalry – our greatest ambition was to become leader, something that she had clinched just mere seconds before. If her kits hadn't been stolen by that fox, she would be in the nursery still, ineligible to become the next deputy ... and that position would have been mine.

Slowly, I got to my paws and padded in the direction of the warriors' den, wishing foxes didn't exist.

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**Yes, horrible ending line. Forgive me. :) This one-shot collection might be shorter than I thought, because it's extremely hard to think of good, original one-shots. If anyone has any ideas, I'd appreciate hearing them.**

**Aleckette**


	6. Second Thoughts

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WOOT! I got a whopping ... _three _reviews? Not WOOT! XD

TheLadyAnthea - You might not like the ending to this one ...

Heartsong's Fanfictions - XD

Darren's Wings - This is kind of a mixture of the two.

Summary: Tawnypelt looked at her three kits. The calico and the ginger she-kits were both named, but what about the tom? Looking at him, a memory of a tabby flickered in her mind ...

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**6. Second Thoughts**

Tawnypelt rested her head on her paws, her eyes half-closed out of exhaustion. She was sweating heavily and looked to be in pain, but despite her condition, she raised her head slightly to look at the three newborn kits that nursed from her.

There was the sound of paw steps, and her eyes darted to the nursery entrance – a ginger tom stood awkwardly just inside the nursery, eyes narrowed as his gaze turned from Tawnypelt's face to the kits.

She sighed. "Rowanclaw, you're _allowed_ in the nursery. Or do you not want to see _our_ kits?"

The accent she put on "our" seemed to assure Rowanclaw, because it only took him two strides before he was at his mate's side. Looking down at the kits, his normally hard gaze was softened as one of them, a calico she-kit, wriggled over to him. With unusual gentleness for him, he nudged her back in Tawnypelt's direction. She latched onto her mother and began to suckle again.

"Have you given them names?" asked Rowanclaw quietly.

Tawnypelt considered her kits – two she-kits, calico and ginger, and a tom, a dark tabby. Names? She'd gone through all the pain of birthing the kits ... she hadn't even considered names for them.

Hesitantly, she turned her attention to the calico she-kit, the farthest from her. After a few long moments, Tawnypelt murmured slowly, "Dawnkit. I'll call her Dawnkit."

Rowanclaw gently brushed the top of the kit's head with the tip of his tail. "Dawnkit ... I like it," he replied at last.

Tawnypelt smiled absently, trying to cover her panic. She'd tried to think of names before the kits were born, but she wasn't that good at picking them. _Imagine how much trouble I'd have if I were a leader, _she thought, and this time her smile was true. She now turned her attention to the small ginger she-kit. Except for the fact that the kit was a she-kit, she greatly resembled Firestar. Tawnypelt had a little respect for her previous leader ... he'd understood why she'd wanted to leave the Clan, after all ...

"Flamekit," she decided. Fire and flame were the same thing, after all, and she didn't dare name a kit Firekit, just in case her fellow ShadowClanners got into a huff about it. Plus, the little respect she _did_ have for Firestar had almost disappeared because of his decisions in the past moons.

Rowanclaw nodded. "After Firestar." Tawnypelt stared at him, and he shrugged. "If he hadn't let you stay ... we wouldn't be here, would we?" Then, casting a glance at the only other queen in the nursery, who was asleep, he bent down and whispered, "Even if he's a soft old kittypet who lets others of the like into his pathetic excuse of a Clan." She nodded, and he smiled, sitting up straight again. "Now," he meowed solemnly, "what about the last one?"

Tawnypelt looked at her three kits. The calico and the ginger she-kits were both named, but what about the dark tabby tom, her oldest? Looking at him, a memory of a tabby flickered in her mind. She closed her eyes, letting the memory wash over her.

The tom was pictured so clearly in her mind's eye – underneath a battle-scarred dark tabby pelt, the presence of bulging muscles was quite obvious. The tattered ear, the numerous scars from battles past, and the scratch across the bridge of his pink nose showed he was a fighter. His long tail was held erect, and his ears, even the torn ear, were pricked. He held himself in a way that suggested he was of great importance, and his amber eyes glowed of knowledge, power, and skill. She could remember his smell – the scent pine and marsh that was ShadowClan's, and underneath it, a trace of ThunderClan. Tawnypelt could stick a name to this cat, too.

Tigerstar. Her father.

Tigerstar had tried to trick her a few moons ago into playing a part in a plan to take over the forest. She knew better than to give in, though, even if her brother, Brambleclaw, fell over his paws at a chance to please their father. Hawkfrost had helped as well, and lost his life in an attempt to gain dominance over the Clans.

He'd done his fair share of breaking the warrior code, Tigerstar had. Among his crimes was killing the old ThunderClan deputy, Redtail, a ThunderClan warrior, Runningwind, and Brindleface, conspiring against Bluestar, unleashing a pack of dogs on ThunderClan, which eventually led to Bluestar's death, and bribing Scourge to bring his followers into the forest. Scourge had killed Tigerstar himself, leading to a battle between the united Clans and the rogues.

During that time, Tawnypelt, then an apprentice, had left her Clan after being goaded by one of the elders. She'd thought that, at the time, if the Clan didn't want her around because her father had been Tigerstar, she might as _well_ be with Tigerstar ... he had been the reason she left ThunderClan ... and the reason she was here now, thinking about him ...

A soft smile played at the corners of her mouth. "I know what we'll call him."

Rowanclaw, who had been waiting for Tawnypelt to speak for quite some time now, came out of his reverie. "What?" he asked her.

Tawnypelt kept her eyes on her son as she meowed quietly, "Tigerkit."

There was silence. Rowanclaw kept staring at her. Tawnypelt looked up from her kit and stared back.

"What?" she asked him, wondering if he was only staring because he knew she hated it, or because he was surprised she would name a kit after her father.

Rowanclaw replied, "I didn't hear you the first time. Can you speak up?"

"Are you _that_ old that I have to speak louder?" Tawnypelt asked sarcastically.

"You're older than I am!" replied Rowanclaw, affronted. Tawnypelt rolled her eyes.

"I said Tigerkit, you old bat."

Rowanclaw scowled. The gentleness and quietness between them since his arrival had disappeared.

"Mangy old rogue," he retorted.

"Head-strong dolt."

"Badger-eating f–"

Tawnypelt silenced him with a glare. "Don't even _think_ about it," she told him. "No bad language in front of newborn kits ..." Then, she added, "Half-eaten pile of crowfood."

Rowanclaw shrugged. "They can't hear anyway." Then, his eyes softened. "You look _exhausted_. I'll leave you to get some sleep."

She murmured a farewell as he slipped out of the nursery, then looked down at her kits. It hit her now that these were _her_ kits. She'd seen other queens look lovingly at their newborns, but she'd never imagined that it would feel this way. Cautiously, she tucked them in closer to her body, but she discovered that two of her kits, the she-kits, had fallen asleep. The only one still awake was Tigerkit.

Tawnypelt licked the top of his head. He opened his tiny pink mouth, yawned, and nestled into her fur. "Rest well now, Tigers-kit."

_He isn't Tigerstar!_ She shouted at herself mentally. _He's Tiger_kit_!_

But as she laid her head on her paws and slowly drifted off into sleep, she began to have second thoughts about what she had named him ...

_I mustn't think like that!_ she told herself. _I mustn't!_

When she'd finally fallen into a light and troubled sleep, a pair of amber eyes that had been watching everything from the shadows gleamed brightly, blinked, and were gone.

* * *

**I'm pretty sure it's obvious who those eyes belonged to ... XD**


	7. Weakness

**c0l0rblind - Well, in a list of confirmed spoilers, it said that both Dawnkit and Flamekit were she-cats ... but then in the book, it said that Flamekit was a tom. WTF? ... I can always claim it is AU, though. XD**

**xx-The Breeze-xx - Yes, you did. Now, stop rubbing it in. -pointed glare- Oh, and the quarrel practically wrote itself. :)**

**Allan pike - ... Yes.**

**TheLadyAnthea - Y'know, I just might make a horrible ending so that I'm right, for once. :)**

**xx-Starfall-xxGuiding Light - -forgot to mention she's not taking requests- Sorry, my bad. Forgive me. Though one of my new one-shot ideas involves Feathertail and Crowpaw ...**

**Grassy Leaves - Thanks. And, see above. Though I am not a Brindleface x Whitestorm shipper in anyway whatsoever. Brindleface x Darkstripe is too great. :)**

**Summary: WindClan. Driven from their homes by ShadowClan. Brought back by two new ThunderClan warriors. Struggling to survive, back in their own territory. Maybe, they are physically weak ... but emotionally, they are strong.**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

**Weakness**

Blood.

The first thing I could ever think of when I recalled that battle was blood. Even now, seasons later, I could still remember it, as clear as day.

But I didn't want to remember it, anymore than a cat wanted to swallow deathberries.

I wanted to forget it, to let go of it. I wanted to destroy the memory of that battle, and I always would.

But I'm always afraid it will always happen again.

—

I tucked my tail over my paws and glanced around WindClan camp. As usual, the warriors and apprentices had ignored their dens and slept outside, underneath the sky, as was the tradition that had stretched on since the beginning of the Clans. The half moon cast enough light for me to see my fellows' lithe shapes, some twisting and turning in their sleep, others still. Normally, the medicine cat, Barkface, and his apprentice, Kestrelpaw, would be among them, but tonight was their regular trip to the Moonpool with the other medicine cats.

Yawning, I glanced up at the sky. I didn't expect to see stars, and I was not disappointed. It seemed that, on such nights, StarClan didn't bother to look after what seemed to be the weakest of the Clans.

"We're not _that_weak," I murmured to myself. Then, I contemplated the somewhat recent history of WindClan.

The other Clans might have been surprised to hear me think this, and you might be too, but the one thing that stuck out to me when I thought of what might make WindClan sound weaker than they were _wasn't_when the Twolegs were destroying our territory. It wasn't when they poisoned our rabbits, or the drought before the Twolegs came. It wasn't when we had to depart on the Great Journey, and leave our ravaged territory behind. It wasn't even when Tigerstar attacked us with the intent of either killing us all off, or making us so frightened that we would join him.

It was when Brokenstar drove us from our home.

You might wonder _why_ I think that it was worse than when we had to leave our territory for good. I can tell you the reason in one, simple word.

Blood.

Cats died both times we were forced to leave. But only in one incident did they die with blood leaking from the many, deep, lethal wounds inflicted by hating claws. They were left without a proper burial, the dead and dying. I remember ... unpleasant things from that battle. _Very_ unpleasant things.

But I don't _want_ to remember those things.

Sometimes, I wish I had died in that battle.

—

I remember being awoken by a loud wail of pain and grief close to camp. I remember the wail being cut short, swiftly and silently. And I remember the moment the first wave of ShadowClan warriors flooded into camp, all as clear as if it had happened a heartbeat ago.

I scrambled to my paws, still sleepy, and flung myself at the closest cat that I thought I could take. It was larger than I was, but slower. I had a feeling that I was stronger than it, too. It didn't look old – maybe six moons. It _had_ to be an apprentice. Though why they would bring an apprentice to certain death, I had no clue.

The cat had no idea what hit it. I crashed straight into its side, unbalancing it. I boxed the cat on one side of the head, than on the other, putting as much strength as I could muster into it. Then, I bit into its shoulder and didn't let go until I heard a squeal of pain, and even then, I hesitated before freeing my teeth from the intruder's shoulder.

We were fighting in the dark, with none of the moon showing in the sky. That's an important fact that you must consider, especially as ShadowClan can see in the dark, and WindClan ... well, we just can't.

I remember sparring with a few other apprentices around the same age as the one I had just injured. I could feel wounds open up all over my body, and feel the blood trickle from them. And before long, I started feeling lightheaded and giddy from blood loss.

I was about to charge at a warrior who had Deadfoot pinned to the ground when I tripped over a body. I fell, half on the body, half off, and scrambled to my paws, onto actual ground. Curiously, I looked.

Then, I vomited.

I had expected to see a ShadowClan cat lying there, dead. Yet, I saw exactly the opposite. I saw one of my Clanmates, his pelt caked with blood. There was a wound in his side, out of which entrails and even more blood spilled. I think I saw an intestine, but I'm not sure. All I know was that, with the blood loss and the sight of entrails, I felt my stomach heave and the rabbit I'd had before I'd gone to sleep was splattered on the ground in front of me.

The remarkable thing was, the brutally injured cat was still alive. Just barely, but he was alive all the same.

And, I knew who he was.

"G-G-Gorsepaw?" I choked out.

Gorsepaw's eyes moved to look deep into mine. The twisted look of pain on his face was either permanently placed on his face, or he had no energy to smile.

"B-Brother?" I padded forward slowly, determinedly looking at his face. "Y-You're s-still al-alive?"

Gorsepaw didn't speak, but the look on his face clearly said, "Unfortunately, yes. StarClan, this is painful ..."

His face muscles relaxed, and his sides stopped moving. The flow of blood began to ease, and his eyes slowly lost all emotion, until they were staring blankly across the camp.

I would have continued watching the signs that he had passed on to the afterlife, but at that moment, I heard a cry from Tallstar, our leader.

"We can't win this!"

I saw Deadfoot, who had escaped from the warrior who had him pinned, stare at Tallstar. "Are you _crazy_?" he spat at Tallstar. "We're not going to just leave!"

Tallstar swatted at an oncoming warrior and replied angrily, "Do you _want_ to be slaughtered, or would you prefer your pelt on your body?" The leader pelted toward the entrance to the camp.

Deadfoot reluctantly followed, yowling as he went, "WindClan! We will not be slaughtered, tonight or any night!"

The WindClan cats broke away from their opponents and followed their leader and deputy. I stared at what was left of our Clan, dumbstruck. Patches of fur were missing, and blood seemed to cover their pelts. I supposed some of the blood had to be from their opponents, as no cat could lose that much blood and still be able to walk out of this fight alive. I followed my Clanmates reluctantly, constantly glancing back at my brother, Gorsepaw.

He didn't deserve to die.

The ShadowClan cats leered after us. "Giving up so soon?" some of them called after us. "Or are you too _weak_ to protect your own camp?"

"Weak." That one word became an insult to us of WindClan. The other Clans used it to describe us, I know they did. I _hated_ that word, as I do now.

Weak is just a word for some.

But to me, the word "weak" brings memories of that battle back. Memories I hate.

Especially the one in which I lose my brother.

—

It took us days to finally find the tangle of Thunderpaths. We'd tried to settle in a small clearing, but dogs had driven us from it. And no matter where we spent the night, it always felt too close to our old territory, where ShadowClan warriors would wait for us if we tried to come back.

The day after we settled in the stone tunnel underneath the Thunderpath, Morningflower gave birth to her litter of kits. The poor things were cold and wet, never quite properly dry, like their Clanmates. In fact, within a few days, only one of them was left.

His name? Gorsekit.

Morningflower had always liked Gorsepaw. Even though the white-and-gold kit looked nothing like my brown tabby brother, she felt it necessary to name a kit that might not even survive in this tunnel after him.

A few days after Gorsekit opened his eyes, Tallstar felt obliged to call a Clan meeting. We were all in the same area, so we merely turned to look at our leader, who stood atop a wooden block with one side missing. Inside that missing side, you could see smashed Twoleg objects and mould growing. Not to mention the maggots that crawled all over the place.

"The time has come," Tallstar meowed solemnly, looking around at the gathered WindClan cats, "for a certain apprentice to receive his warrior name."

A couple of warriors fidgeted where they sat, but said nothing.

"We may not be in our old home now," he continued, his gaze sweeping over the assembled cats. "We may never go back, until Brokenstar is dead."

Unease rippled through the crowd when Brokenstar was mentioned. He was ShadowClan's leader, the leader who had driven us from our territory as if we didn't matter ... as if he were weak.

"_But_, that does not mean that we, like Brokenstar, will disregard the warrior code when we wish," continued Tallstar, flicking his tail for silence. The Clan quieted. "StarClan watches over us, always. No matter where we are, or where we go, they will make sure we are safe."

_Then where was StarClan when we were attacked?_ I couldn't help but keep that thought at bay.

Then, Tallstar looked directly at me. I had a feeling I knew what was going to happen next.

"Onepaw."

Gee, what do you know? I was right. He called my name.

I wove my way through the crowd. I could feel their gazes scorch my pelt, hear their voices whisper my name, over and over, as if they couldn't believe it. When I stood at the foot of the block that Tallstar stood on top of, I looked up, into his face. I could smell the mould, and some other stink from inside that block. My nose twitched, trying to block it out.

"I, Tallstar, leader of WindClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice, Onepaw. He has trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you in his turn. Onepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," I murmured quietly. Tallstar gave me a questioning look. "I _do_," I repeated, more loudly and firmly than I had before.

"Then by the powers of StarClan," Tallstar meowed thoughtfully, "I give you your new name. Onepaw, you will now be known as Onewhisker. The Clan honors you as a full warrior of WindClan." He leapt from the block and rested his muzzle on my head. I licked his shoulder and stepped back.

"Onewhisker! Onewhisker! Onewhisker!" the Clan chanted, their cries echoing around the tunnel. They brushed pelts with me, and looked into my eyes with respect. My ex-fellow apprentices mobbed me, as it was their way of congratulating me.

I thought I would feel ... different, as a warrior. More important. Older. More experienced. Wiser. And I _definitely_ thought I would feel as if I would have more authority.

Yet, I didn't feel like Onewhisker, the new warrior.

I felt like normal old Onepaw.

"Onewhisker will sit vigil outside the tunnel for us tonight," meowed Tallstar, and he jumped off the block.

I broke away from my Clanmates to stand outside, and sit my vigil. I kept one eye on a group of Twolegs, gathered around a fire, whose smoke rose in twisting spirals, until I was sure they hadn't noticed them. Even then, when I looked away, I couldn't help but glance in their direction what felt like every few heartbeats. But before long, my thoughts were too focused on something entirely different.

Gorsepaw.

He would have his warrior name, too, if he had lived. He would be sitting beside me, sharing in my delight at becoming a warrior. He shouldn't be in StarClan.

He should be here, in WindClan, with the cats he grew up with.

He should be here with me.

And as I thought it over, I realized ... Gorsepaw didn't have a burial. The Clan had left his bloodied body behind, to the mercy of ShadowClan warriors ... ShadowClan warriors who would probably either bury them without honor, or leave them there for predators to eat.

I glanced up at the sky above. Just like the night of the attack, no stars were visible. I was forced to turn what would have been a prayer into a single question.

What did they do with my brother's body?

—

You know the rest. Fireheart and Graystripe brought us back to our old territory. From then on, my Clan has been considered weak. We might always be known as such.

But, on this night, I know there are many weaknesses and strengths. I lived long enough now to realize this. I am part of WindClan. I was driven away from home by ShadowClan, along with my other Clanmates. We were brought back by two warriors younger than I was. Back home, we struggled to survive – three times.

Yes, we might be weak – physically. But how many cats could go through this ordeal, and keep trying to survive? You might think it's easy. But have you ever gone through what I have before? Did you see your brother's final moments, with his insides spilling out of a huge gash? Did you watch your apprentice become a hapless victim of a mass-murderer? Did you go through the humiliation of being brought back by two inexperienced warriors?

I thought not.

So, we _are _physically weak. Big deal. Because, emotionally, we are strong.

But I will always be afraid that we will be driven from our territory once again.

* * *

**According to Corel, this one-shot was five pages long, and without Author's Notes, 2343 words long. Well, at least I'm getting better at writing lengthier one-shots ...**

_**So**_**, I have decided to make this one-shot collection more than eight chappies. It shall now be ten ... because honestly, I got two great ideas, and they fit in well with the whole angst theme. :) And I don't want this fic, which is practically my baby fic now, to be over this soon ... Nor do I want it to be this short. :)**

**NOTE: BECAUSE TWO REVIEWERS HAVE ASKED FOR REQUESTS, I HAVE TO SAY THAT I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT I AM NOT LONGER TAKING IDEAS. Sorry for the inconvenience, and the caps lock abuse. :)**


	8. Things Left Unsaid

**-Hope- In the Name of Love: I hate the stereotyping in Warriors so much – especially in ShadowClan's case. (They are not ZOMFG evil, no matter what the Erins say.)**

**xx-Starfall-xx: I lost the link. Don't worry about the requests thing, though. My fault. :) Oh, and I knew you were Amberstar.**

**Darren's Wings: Yes, I capitalized "Does" and "It." Aren't you so proud of me? XD Well, there was Gorsepaw, who died in the battle, and then Gorsekit, who you hear about in the canon. The latter was named after the first Gorsepaw.**

**Duckstar: Yeah, whatever. N00bishly hating a cat for doing nothing really grabs my attention. end sarcasm**

**Kaloleina: -pokes the reply she gave to Darren's Wings- Gorsepaw I and Gorsepaw II are two completely different cats.**

**Summary: Poem. The death of a close friend makes a certain cat realize that, maybe, she was looking for a bit more than friendship ...**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

**Things Left Unsaid**

In silence I sit vigil,  
In silence I reflect  
Upon things kept hidden  
And things left unsaid.

I sit beside the body  
Of a dear friend of mine.  
She died today  
In a battle not hers to fight.

Others like her fell  
To the same deadly enemy,  
But I grieve for her the most  
On this bloody day.

And as I reflect in silence  
I wondered what it's like  
To live the life she lived,  
And to die the death she died.

She was my apprentice once  
Before she hurt her leg.  
She could never be the warrior  
She always wanted to be.

She became a medicine cat instead.  
Then, it became hard to see  
The energetic apprentice  
She was before.

And moons ago she told me,  
"I'll always be your friend."  
And I never once wondered  
If she wanted to be more than that.

The thoughts begin to nag at me,  
Thoughts I'm afraid to think.  
It's too late now to ask her  
What she really thought of me.

As I bury my nose in her fur  
And try to smell her scent,  
I wonder if I'm acting crazy  
Because it simply can't be true.

But as time passes  
I find myself thinking it's correct.  
She argued with my mate a lot  
Before I admitted my love to Sandstorm.

The horizon is turning different colours  
As the sun begins to rise;  
And the others sitting vigil  
Begin to stir.

I don't move from where I sit,  
Even when the elders come  
To take her body away.  
I want to stay here all day.

They tell me they have to take her  
To bury her in her grave.  
I bury my nose in her fur  
To try and smell her scent again.

The scent is gone, just like her,  
And I'm forced to step aside  
So the elders can take her body  
To the unused burying place.

I watch her body  
Until it's out of sight.  
Then I lie down  
And begin to think again.

My heart feels ripped in two,  
I wish she wasn't dead.  
I wish I had known sooner  
And spoken to her about it.

But now, it's too late;  
She's dead and gone.  
There's nothing I can do about it,  
No matter what I try.

I get to my paws  
And walk away from where I'd been.  
I wish I could think about it more  
but I need to help my Clan.

Before I go to help  
I send a silent prayer to her  
Though first I look around  
To make sure no one's near.

"I'm sorry for everything I did.  
I'm sorry I never cared enough to ask,  
I'm sorry it's too late  
To tell this to you in this world.

I love you too  
But like a friend, or a sister.  
As much as I wish I could,  
I never loved you like that.

Sandstorm was the one for me,  
With Spottedleaf in second.  
But I will always love you like a sister, Cinderpelt,  
Though you're with me no longer."

And as I turn to leave  
A gentle breeze wraps around me.  
A familiar voice whispers in my ear,  
"It's okay – I always knew we were never meant to be."

As the voice fades away  
And the breeze ebbs as well,  
I know she's lying;  
It was never okay with her.

I realize with a pang  
How much it hurts to learn  
Of things meant to be kept hidden,  
And things meant to be left unsaid.

* * *

**Well, I promised this, didn't I? Another Cinderpelt x Firestar one-shot. And I gave it to you. :) I always knew that a one-shot concerning this pairing would be the one to end this collection.**

**Yep, you read that right. This is the last one-shot.**

**I know I promised to extend the amount of one-shots in this collection to ten. I changed my mind again. Don't eat me, please. Either way, this story will be completed. I'm not changing my mind. :) I wanted this fic to be done so I could start a new one for Warriors, which will be entitled "What Hides in the Night" and will be an AU, where the badgers actually succeeded in killing the Clans ... except for a few cats. :) (Thought I'd advertise while I still could. XD Keep an eye out for it? Please?)**

**Now, for dedications!**

**--This story is dedicated to:**

**Every single reviewer. I platonically love you all!**

**Darren's Wings, who somehow managed to inspire the seventh one-shot during a conversation at Ravenclaw's Secret Bookshelf.**

**Everyone who added this to their favourites and/or alert list.**

**AND**

**The readers, obviously. Can't forget you, can I?--**

**Thanks to you all!**


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